If flipping the calendar from December 2020 to January 2021 didn't quite work the miracles everyone was hoping for, don't worry, we've got another shot with Lunar New Year, coming up this week. February 12, 2021 marks the first day of the Year of the Ox whilst February 23rd marks the first day of the Year of the Red Bikini Bottom - as two major companies gear up to celebrate in a big way - you guessed it McDonald's and ConocoPhillips.
Although whilst SP1 & SP2 may offer all day breakfast sandwiches the House that Ronald Built will not be offering McJiaozi (dumplings) or Longevity fries. Instead, McDonald's will be focusing on non-food-related festivities by sponsoring several different cultural events for the Lunar New Year.
McDonald's realizes that many of us are still choosing to stay home, what with the lousy weather and the ongoing pandemic (darn Year of the Rat!). That's okay because their Lunar New Year's celebrations, like the Red Bikini Bottom days will be virtual ones.
As a special New Year's gift many the year will receive a lucky red envelope from McDonald’s. These envelopes, which are known as hongbao in Mandarin or lai see in Cantonese (via China Highlights), are traditionally filled with cash and given out to kids (sometimes even those of the adult persuasion) in order to confer happiness, blessings, and, yes, a little spending money. This isn't the first time McDonald's has done the red envelope thing and while the envelopes aren't going to be stuffed with actual currency, they won't be empty, either. Instead, each one will contain two $8 McDonald's Arch Cards.
One is for you, and the other you're supposed to share since it'll be luckier that way.